Groove-filling device for street-railway crossings.



P. K. YOUNG. I GROOVE FILLING DEVIGE FOR STREET RAILWAY GROSSINGS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1908.

939,463. Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

Qvihmomo P. K. YOUNG. GROOVE FILLING DEVICE FOR STREET RAILWAY GROSSINGS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 30,1908.

939,463. Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

vwemtoz witnesses m I (A) n f W PHILIP K. YOUNG, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

' GROOVE-FILLING DEVICE FOR STREET RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

sea tea.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, race.

a plication filed December 80, 1908 Serial No. 470,100.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, PHILIP K. Yopne, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Groove-Filling Devices for Street-Railway Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in I groove-filling device for street railway crossings, and has for its object, broadly, the provision of means for preventing vibrations or shocks to the car, caused bythe wheels striking againstthe transverse rails when passing a crossing. I

Another obj ect is the provision of a structure for this purpose which may be economically manufactured and which may be conveniently placed in operative position, or removed when desired.

The ordinary construction of an integral, metal fran'iework for street car crossings is attended with a considerable expense, and where any of its parts become worn or broken by action of the wheel flanges the ex pense for labor and material for replacing the same is very great. By use of the herein described device the grooves at the intersections are filled, and the cars may cross interand downwardly inclined in the direction oftheir terminals, the device to be partly countersunk in a recess formed at the bottom of the groove of the track rail to cover the grooves at the intersections of the rails.

The invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts as. described herein, pointed out by the claim and as illustrated in the drawing, wherein,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a trackway intersection with groove-filling devices thereon, embodying my invention. Fig.- 2 is a side view of atrackway, being a view sectioned on line a 'a of Fig. 1, car wheels being added. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the angular groove-filling device. Fig. 4 is a side view of the same, being a view sectioned on line f'f of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the invention, being a view sectioned on line b I) of Fig. 1, parts being broken away. Fig. 6 is an enlarged, broken away view showing a part of the device, and. is a detail figure relating to Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, numeral 1 indicates a rail or car track, and theintersecting framework employed ordinarily consists of the integral, interior, square frame 2, operating as guide-rails; at 3 are indicated four intermediate heading-frames, each having bodyportions 4 operating as track-rails and having angular arms 5 operating as guide-rails; at 6 are indicated L-shaped outer frames each having body-portions 'Z and 8, operating as track-rails. The parts of the framework thus described, with the exception of frame 2, are secured to the ends of rails 1 so that the parts to form the crossing will be in alinement, the height of the guide rails and adjacent track being substantially equal, and thereby are formed longitudinal ooves or recesses 9between each track an guide rail, each track having vertical walls 10.

The operation ofa car passing track intersections is attended with shocks and vibrations by reason of the wheels striking upon walls 10 while crossing recesses 9, and continued operation results in flattening, breakin g 01' the wearing away of walls 10, and the repairing thereof, as above stated, is a matter of considerable expense. In order that these objectionable features may be avoided, I provide a metallic groove-filling device 11 having a fiat bottom 12 and an upper, middle, fiat platform 13 from which arms 14 and 15 extend outwardly. Arms 14 are in alinement with reference to each other; arms 15 are also in alinement, and where trackways cross at right angles, as shown in Fig. 1, arms 14 are disposed at right angles to arms 15.

The lower surfaces 12 of arms 14 and 15 are formed to occupy the same lane and are seated in recesses 16, chamfere in the arts of the intersection framework which orms the trackways between walls 10, and when operatively seated in recesses 16 they require no holding means for securing them to the tracks. The upper surfaces 19 of these arms are formed downwardly inclined from the middle platform 13 to-their terminals, and along these surfaces are formed longitudinal grooves 20, these grooves bein formed near one of the ed es of said inc ined surface, thereby provi ing longitudinal ridges or guides 21, and as thus described grooves 20 and uides 21 extend inwardly from the termina s of arms 14 and 15 and terminate at platform 13.

In operation, when the car is moving, flanges 17 of wheels 18 will pass from an engagement within grooves 9 and will be engaged-{within grooves 20 of the device as they; pass upward upon the inclined wall 19, and as they approach platform 13 the wheels will be elevated somewhat above the tracks, as shown in the drawing, the weight at this time being sustained by the flanges while resting within grooves 20. After reaching platform 13 the wheels may pass downward upon the opposite arm, flanges -17 being in engagement with grooves 20 of said opposite arm, during the descending movement, and

since there are no obstructions to be encountered by the wheels, there will be no shocks or vibrations. 7

It will be noted that in the use of the in vention, no change isrequired in the construction of the ordinary framework employed for intersections, except the formation of recesses 16, and if the device should be accidentally broken or injured, or, by action of the flanges the grooves 20 become enlarged, the same may be replaced at slight comparative expense.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by -Letters Patent is,

The combination with a plurality of rails crossing each other at an angle of a groove filling device therefor, comprising a spider, each arm of which is curved downwardly from the intersection of said arms to the outer end thereof, each of said arms having an upstanding rib entirely along one edge thereof, said spider being flat upon its under face and being seated in recesses which are in addition to the usual grooves of the rails whereb the extreme ends of the lowest por tions 0 the arms of the spider lie flush with the bottom of the usual grooves of the rail, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my 

